Lesser Known Hero
by FlowerofAdversity
Summary: Code Lyoko fanfic about Jim's heroism during the Vietnam War and the return of Jim's friend, Timothy Biggs and family.


Lesser Known Hero

Note: A Code Lyoko fan-fiction focusing on Jim and his extremely heroic act of saving his Sergeant, Timothy Adrian Biggs during one of the major wars in history, Vietnam and only currently, Tim decides to give Jim a call and make the trip to Paris to see how his friend is doing. He comes along with his family, Martha, and his two children, Darla and Vanessa.

Chapter 1—The Unexpected Phone Call

Jim was sleeping soundly when the sound of his cell phone jarred him from a pleasant dream about talking a leisurely walk with Susie through the forest. He grumbled, wanting to have continued that dream, wondering why someone was calling him in the middle of the night. He was amused that Susanne and Emily weren't awakened considering how blaringly obnoxious his mobile phone ring could be. Though he was a bit flustered, he decided to maintain a cool attitude and answered the phone politely.

"Jim Morales speaking, who is this ?", Jim questioned.

"Lieutenant, this is your Sergeant ! Good to hear from you again.", a familiar voice at the other end of the line answered, with a gruff but joyous laugh.

"Tim ! I can't believe it's you ! It's been too long, Sir.", Jim said, smiling softly.

"Yeah.", he said with a smile. "Hey, listen. I'm coming over in a week or so with my family to visit. Don't know when exactly I'll come around.", Tim said.

"Is that so ? But isn't your schedule booked ?", Jim asked, curiously.

"I have a break coming up. I'd love to come and stop by, see what you're doing. The wife and I have saved enough to visit, that is if you have some free time as well.", Tim said, being courteous.

Jim thought about his upcoming schedule and realized he did have a few free days that would be perfect for the Biggs family to visit him and get to know the layout of Kadic Academy.

"Sure. How about this upcoming Thursday, Friday and Saturday ? Those days are available. If you can't I'm sure we can always reschedule another time around summer.", Jim said, hoping his answer would be positive.

Jim could hear Tim thumbing through a small book, mumbling over some dates and times and then heard the response he was hoping for.

"Looks like it. We'd better get ready. I'll call you before the plane leaves St. Louis. I hope to see you at the airport. We've much to talk about.", Tim said. Jim agreed quickly, and said goodbye before going back to sleep. He was overjoyed that he would be seeing his friend again. Sure they would swap war stories, but he had to hear about his family amongst other things.

Chapter 2—Preparing for Sergeant Biggs' Arrival

Jim had been called again the very day that Tim was leaving. He could remember the days before they had been called into Vietnam in the past. Before Jim even knew what Penchat Silat was, Timothy taught him everything he knew. Jim grew to love the martial art so much that he decided to teach it on school grounds. Of course, it wasn't the easiest argument to be won when Jean-Pierre was worried that Silat would cause violence instead of preventing it. Yet, Jim had been able to convince him, remembering what Tim had taught him and said to him. Like any other martial art, Silat was concerned with discipline and becoming more balanced, spiritually, mentally and physically.

The Home Economics teacher, Francesca Tripoli had a stupendous idea for the Sergeant and his family upon arriving. She had heard from Jim that he and the others enjoyed typical meet and potato fair when it came to eating. "Franny" as she was often called endearingly by the faculty, thought she could liven this up with pilaf and creamed corn as well as lima beans and to finish it off, German black forest cake. The meal would be ready in time when Tim and his family came to visit the grounds at the academy. For now, Jim had to head over to the airport and meet the Sergeant and his family there.

After waiting for about an hour, Tim, Martha, Darla and Vanessa had met Jim at the airport and started talking to him as soon as they approached him. Darla was the eldest among the Biggs children, being 11. She took after her mother, having curly short red hair and her father's baby blue eyes. Vanessa had her father's blonde hair, though it was long, extending almost all the way down her back. Like her mother, she inherited those rare violet eyes. She was 7, being the youngest of the Biggs family. Jim couldn't wait to have Emily meet them. He had a feeling they would get along swimmingly.

Tim updated Jim on how he was working as a history teacher, and his wife was working as a medical billing assistant. Tim still bore the scar of war on his upper eyebrow, where the shrapnel had hit him and the night terrors sometimes came without warning. Yet, despite that he was always comforted by Martha and he knew there was nothing to fear. He could talk about Vietnam in a steady, somber tone, but he was glad to have survived it and come home to his sweetheart Martha, who had been waiting for him even after earning her certificate in medical billing.

The Biggs family was welcomed with grand pomp and circumstance and they were astonished at how large Kadic was. Jim would take them all on a grand tour when tomorrow came, but Emily had already befriended the Biggs children and they were talking as if they had known each other for years. Susanne couldn't help but feel a sense of elation when she got to know the Sergeant. After all, this was the man that her husband had saved. He hadn't mentioned it after all this time, but she knew where he kept his purple heart. It was hidden from everyone, but Susanne would often pull it out of his memory box occasionally just to look at it, knowing her husband was indeed a rare and chivalrous breed. Not many men would do what he had done, particularly for a superior officer. But Jim would sacrifice himself for anyone, not caring who they were, even if they were an enemy. Life was precious, and he was aware of that simple and profound fact.

Chapter 3—Sissi's Father, The Stock Broker

At the dinner, Jim's heroism had been brought to the forefront by Tim himself. He didn't mind bragging on his friend, but he confessed if Jim hadn't taken action, he probably wouldn't be here or he possibly could've been paralyzed. He was very fortunate neither of them had been hurt worse than what they were. Of course the images from the war would always be with them, but they had both learned the value of true friendship.

"He would've done the same for anyone. He's quite altruistic though his macho exterior may lead one to believe otherwise.", Susanne said. In a way, this dinner was also honoring Jim and his heroism. The topic soon shifted to Franny's meal and how on earth she had become an employee of Kadic.

"She's been with us the longest, even longer than Rosa, our lunch lady. I was lucky to have met her at the firm I used to work for.", Jean-Pierre said, remembering it as if it were yesterday. Sissi didn't recall that he ever worked for another business. She had always assumed he had been the Principal of Kadic. But that was so far beyond the truth.

"You see, before I was hired at Kadic, I once worked as a stock broker. Francesca too was in the same firm, working as a secretary. She would usually bring in something delectable that she made by hand to help us melt away the stress before the day began. Long after moving on from being a stockbroker, I read about Kadic in the newspaper, and before long, I found myself here. I didn't think I'd see Franny again until I noticed her CV in my mailbox. Luckily I did and the rest is history.", Jean said. Sissi didn't know her father had been involved in stock broking, but it didn't surprise her. Since that time he had become less stoic and more outgoing.

It was surprising to know that Francesca had known Jean-Pierre for such a long time, and in fact, she had known about Kadic long before it had become as big and as magnificent as it had now. Even though the dinner was through, many of the children, who had just gotten to know Timothy, had many questions to ask him. One of the students asked Jean-Pierre if it was acceptable to ask him any questions about the Vietnam War, and the Principal thought it would be fine to do so.

It was warm enough to go outside and enjoy a campfire with traditional S'mores as the children listened to Timothy weave his actual accounts on Vietnam. It hadn't been a pleasant war, but no war truly was. This one had been considered a "blemish" of sorts, but he never thought of it that way. He did what he was commanded to and in the process, met a man that could only be described in one word: courageous.

As soon as the flames had been extinguished, the students went their different ways and thought of what they had heard and seen around the campfire. They had seen a completely different side of Jim than the one they had come to know and love. They could never imagine they had someone so incredible in their midst. Most of the students were thankful they had him on their side, while others were awash in his greatness and wished that they too could emulate such bravery as he had.

Chapter 4—The Savvy Comedian

The next day, during the tour of Kadic, many of the students had asked Tim about Missouri and what life was like in the United States. He told them many fascinating stories of how one can see the entire world without even leaving home and how much of a "melting pot" America truly was. He had shown them photos of the St. Louis arch, talked about how it was built and how you can get to the top: the easy way by the tiny slow elevator that clicks its way slowly to the top, but more quickly on the way down, or the hard way by climbing the myriad of stairs.

In the middle of the many photo albums he had brought, Tim had unexpectedly forgotten there were pictures of his daughters in them during the time they were both little babies. Everyone was gushing over how cute they were, and how that had never changed. Needless to say, the youngest Biggs wasn't too pleased with this discovery.

"Father, I thought I told you not to show my baby pictures to everyone ! Ugh, this is so humiliating.", Vanessa said, hiding her red face from the crowds. Her elder sister was just as embarrassed as she was.

"'Nessa, don't worry about it. It was a mistake. Besides, I do really think that we were adorable babies. I mean, come on ! Look at us ! How could anyone _not_ love us !", Darla said, beaming a huge smile to her younger sibling. She had to admit, even though it did sound a bit biased and egotistical that it was _true._ One particular picture was of Jim in his military uniform, which the children were just amazed at. Another picture was of the Biggs family home - a somewhat upscale-looking house with an entry gate.

Timothy kept everyone entertained with his amusing anecdotes about the less serious side of war and how often he would be caught teasing someone and getting away with it. His favorite sophomoric prank had been placing shaving cream on Jim's hand and tickling him with a feather in his sleep. Jim had nearly forgotten about that little joke, but recalled how funny even he thought it was. He had learned that one shouldn't take oneself so strictly and at least try to have a little fun from time to time. He had also taught Jim that laughter was important and necessary to every day situations. Jim reminisced and thought these life lessons were incredibly important and would never lose sight of them again. He vowed to himself he would laugh a bit more often and uncover that hidden sense of humor he knew he had inside of himself.

After gazing at photos for the rest of the day, Jim and his young friends had realized that the day was nearly over and evening was quickly approaching. Sadly, they were also aware that tomorrow was a school day and had to say their farewells to the Biggs family before they too said goodbye. They would be departing the next day. It was astonishing how quickly time flew when they had all been having such an enjoyable time together, but like many pleasurable experiences, it had to come to a close.

Chapter 5—Au Revouirs, Mes Amis

The children had said farewell to the Biggs family. They would never forget such an amazing individual. He had taken various photos with them and of them so they would be part of his photo journal and remembered forever. Tim and the rest of his "stalwart crew" would never forget the warmth and hospitality they had been shown in France and could only hope that they would share another reunion soon.

After Tim and his family had left at the airport, Kadic academy had grown quiet. All of the students were busy with homework and Jim was left practicing Silat moves as usual. Jeramie, who had just left the library, saw him and waved, looking rather happy with Aelita by his side. They were probably discussing theorems of some sort, more than likely.

"Greetings Jim !", Jeramie said, merrily and Aelita smiled warmly.

"Lovely day for rigorous activity.", Aelita added, seeing as Jim had worked up a sweat.

"Definitely. Where are you two doing, other than the usual discussion ?", Jim asked.

"Like you, enjoying the weather. But Aelita and I were wondering if you were ever going to write a book about your experiences with the Sergeant during Vietnam.", Jeramie said.

"You know, you're not the first to ask me that today. You're probably the 20th. Many others have asked me the same thing.", Jim noted.

"Perhaps it is a sign that you should write this epic, then. Of course, you would have to have permission from Mr. Biggs and his family.", Aelita chimed in.

Jim nodded, realizing she had an exceptional point.

"You know what ? I'll get right on that. I'll call him tomorrow. Right now isn't a good time since he's just left France and coming home. He'll be too tired to talk.", Jim said, with some exuberance.

"This is wonderful news. I hope it goes well !", Jeramie said, encouraging his friend to continue on this new path of enlightenment. All of them, particularly Jim knew how emotional this book would be once writing it began, but it was one that had to be told.

Hopefully everyone would be touched who read it and come to know that even in the worst circumstances, the true human spirit remained strong, and compassion remained.

Chapter 6—Permission Granted, Lieutenant

The next day, Jim had called his friend and no one was home. It wasn't until about noon that Jim was able to connect with his busy friend.

"Yes, Biggs residence. Tim speaking.", Tim said, answering the phone.

"I had been getting a lot of feedback about your stories and I was wondering if I could have permission to write about our experiences in Vietnam.", Jim said. It didn't take long for Tim to respond.

"Of course, I'll write what I can remember. The war won't be sugarcoated. Our readers should be warned of that. But matters so serious as war shouldn't be. After all, this is history. It's a heavy burden to tell history. We must both remember to be accurate and most importantly, be honest.", Tim answered.

"Absolutely the answer I was hoping for. I'm sure it will be emotional for us both, but I know this story must be told. It'll help us both cope with what we've suppressed over the years.", Jim concurred. And with that, the two friends had begun their tale Heroism as a joint effort.

Heroism was published a few weeks thereafter, and sold to a publishing company that had headquarters in Paris, France and St. Louis, Missouri. Soon after, the book was given rights for publishing worldwide by the authors. A whirlwind of events followed soon after, and the Biggs family found themselves traveling from place to place. With a schedule that was already overflowing, they had to make sacrifices to speak publicly about the book and how so many people were being touched by it. It was said that Heroism would become a movie someday, but these were simply speculative rumors. If it did, more people would be touched by it, but for the moment, the friends were glad the book had touched so many and that people were taking its morals to heart. In some small way, Jim and his friend had changed the world, even if the change wasn't seen immediately. But the world would always remember the men who wrote the book and how powerful friendship could be.

Epilogue 

Heroism had been doing well in the Billboard postings, Jim and Tim's families had been thrust into the world of fame. Though, it was small-time fame and fortune, it was still quite flattering to have so many compliments and interviews from time to time. After all the hype had died down, the families could return to their typical schedules. The friends hadn't been together or in the same place since the interviews, they had a constant conversation going through email, letters and occasional gifts. Tim was generous enough to spend a little bit of money for what he considered "important events" like birthdays and Christmases. After all, Tim thought that those tiny gestures were his way of saying thank you again and again for Jim risking his life and limb just to make certain that his superior would live.

A few copies of Heroismcould now be read in the Kadic library and many students had developed a deeper sense of respect for their gym teacher and the man that he had saved. They often looked at him with awe and many students wished to emulate him. He hadn't let the hero worship go to his head, or the fame. That wasn't what was important. He had reconnected with a friend that would always remain important to him and so long as he was breathing, he would remain close to that friend. They would be able to recollect of their past and the everyday events that didn't seem so important to others. They often traded stories about life in general, laughing for hours over the phone.

Even now, with history reports coming up, many students were using Heroism for a reference if their report had been on the Vietnam War. Others were reporting on colonialism, the French revolution, modern wars, how the film _Night at the Museum_ had sparked interest in history and how accurate it was in its depiction of historical figures. Many had even enjoyed watching historical films in class and were actually enjoying such a "dry, boring topic for a change". It did the history teacher's heart some good to be seeing her students have a love for history. Thankfully in their hands, through their evangelism, they could keep history from repeating itself as it had been doing in the past.

The End


End file.
